Godmother
by TheValetAndTheMaid
Summary: On the evening of Mrs. Hughes' return from her honeymoon with Mr. Carson, Anna has some important news to tell her...and also, a very important question to ask her.


**Author's Note: I hope that you all enjoy this fluffy little one-shot!**

* * *

**Godmother**

'What is it that you wanted to tell me?' Mrs. Hughes raised her brow once she and Anna were stood alone together in her pantry once she had shut the door behind them. 'Is something bothering you?'

Anna shook her head at her as she smiled and clasped her hands in front of herself. 'Nothing's wrong, I promise, I just wanted to speak to you away from the others.' She reassured her before gesturing to the table. 'Can we sit down?' The housekeeper nodded her response before they approached the table.

Once the two of them had sat down opposite one another and gotten comfortable in their chairs, Mrs. Hughes looked over at Anna for a moment before raising her brow at her and asking: 'What is it?'

'I...I wasn't going to tell you yet.' Anna admitted as her hands twisted together in her lap beneath the table. 'The reason why I wanted to speak to you alone about this is because I didn't want to risk the others hearing and I didn't want to steal your and Mr. Carson's thunder.' A delicate blush bloomed in her cheeks when she lowered her gaze to her flat stomach and could feel Mrs Hughes staring at her.

'Anna, the anticipation is killing me.' She lifted her gaze back to the elder woman's when she spoke.

She offered her another smile before taking a deep breath and saying: 'Mr. Bates and I are expecting.'

Her heart raced within her chest as the housekeeper's eyes grew wide with surprise and a large smile broke out across her face. 'Och, that's wonderful news!' Mrs. Hughes gasped. 'And is everything as it should be with you and the wee bairn?' Anna nodded as tears began to burn in the back of her eyes.

'I had a bit of a fright a few days ago.' She said. 'I thought that...that I was having a miscarriage and so - because I hadn't told Mr. Bates yet - Lady Mary invented an illness so that we could travel up to London without anyone growing suspicious. Whilst I was there, doctor Ryder did a procedure that managed to stop me losing the baby.' She ran a hand over her stomach. 'Everything went so well.'

The two of them looked at one another in silence for a few seconds before Mrs. Hughes reached across the table and rested her hand on the younger woman's cheek, Anna's eyes drifting closed when she stroked her thumb against her skin. 'There is no-one living in this house who is more deserving of this kind of news than the two of you. You've both been through hell and back over the last few years.'

'Mr. Bates said that - to him - this baby is our reward for being so patient.' Anna revealed.

'And he's right.' Mrs. Hughes replied. 'This baby is your reward.'

Anna sighed as she looked into the housekeeper's eyes. 'A couple of nights ago, I told him that there is no way that I would have managed to get past my assault if he hadn't had been there to look after me. I feel the exact same way about you.' Mrs. Hughes raised her brow, her head cocking to one side.

'But I didn't do anything.' She told her.

'How can you say that when you were the one who cleaned me up and went and found me a clean dress after finding me?' Anna shook her head. 'You were the one who came and sat on my bed for hours when I was too scared to go to sleep after moving back in here. You took such good care of me.'

Mrs. Hughes smiled. 'I have to admit that I do have quite a soft-spot for you. Perhaps it's because you and I used to spend so much time talking and eating biscuits in here when you first came here.' The two of them giggled at the memory. 'You've come such a long way since then, you know. Being able to watch you progress and turn into the woman that you are now has been so wonderful.' She said.

'You've been more of a mum to me over the last few decades than my actual mum has.' Anna's gaze fell to her lap. 'She hasn't tried to get in contact with me since Christmas 1903.' She admitted to her.

'The fact that she hasn't tried to contact you and the fact that she allowed your stepfather to keep on living with her after all he did to you proves to me that she doesn't deserve you.' Mrs. Hughes told her after a time, Anna lifting her gaze back to hers before a small smile appeared on her lips. 'I know that we're of no relation, but if I was your mother I would feel so blessed to call you my daughter.'

Anna sucked on her lower lip for a few seconds before saying: 'Whilst we're on the subject of mothers and the like, I...I was wondering if you would be the Godmother of the baby when the time comes.'

Mrs. Hughes was stunned into silence. 'Have...have you spoken to Mr. Bates about it?'

'He knows that I want you to be the Godmother and that I wouldn't ask anyone else.' Anna told her. 'He saw me coming in here to talk to you as well, so I'm sure he knows what we're talking about.'

The two of them laughed.

'It would be an honour to be the Godmother of the wee one.' Mrs. Hughes admitted. 'A true honour.'

'Thank you, Mrs. Hughes.' Anna beamed.

Their conversation was brought to an end when there was a gentle knock on the door to the pantry, the two of them turning in their chairs to look over at the door before they smiled when John made his way inside the room. 'I apologise for interrupting,' He said before turning his attention to his wife, 'but I'm ready to start walking back to the cottage whenever you are.' Anna nodded with a smile.

'I'm ready now.' She reassured him.

'Anna's just told me the news.' Mrs. Hughes admitted. 'Congratulations, Mr. Bates.'

'Thank you.' He replied whilst Anna rose from her chair.

He rested a hand on his wife's lower back through her uniform once she had come to stand at his side before she said to Mrs Hughes: 'Thank you for agreeing to be Godmother. I appreciate it so much.'

'As I said before,' The elder woman smiled, 'it's an honour.'

Anna and John then shared one final smile with her before the three of them said their farewells and the two of them walked out of the pantry. Once the two of them had reached the hooks that their coats were hanging on, John helped Anna to put her coat on before she did the same for him and the two of them put on their hats. They then left through the back door before John grasped her hand.

When she turned to look at him he started to walk her backwards towards the wall, a perfect giggle escaping her when her back came into contact with it before he placed both hands on her hips and closed the distance between them. 'Come here.' He told her once their chests were almost touching, her eyes falling shut when she tilted her head back a bit and allowed him to capture her lips with his.

The smack of their lips echoed in the silence of the courtyard when they pulled apart and he allowed his forehead to lean against hers, the two of them grazing their noses against one another's as they held the other close to them. 'We're having a baby.' John breathed, his breath warm against her face.

'We are.' She sniffled as her hands laid on his waist beneath his jacket. 'I'm sorry I hit it from you.'

'Don't be.' He drew back from her a little to kiss her on the forehead. 'You did it to spare my feelings.'

She wrapped both of her arms around his waist before stepping further into him until her chest came into contact with his own, a sigh escaping her as she looked up into his eyes and felt him massage her hips. 'I want to go home now.' She whispered. 'I want a cuddle on the settee before we go to bed.'

'Come on then, let's get you home.' He gave her a squeeze. 'Both of you.'

The two of them shared one last kiss before removing their arms from one another, taking the other's hand in their own and beginning to walk out of the courtyard. Once they were walking down the path which led them away from the prestigious Downton Abbey, Anna began to realize something.

For the first time, even though their child wasn't born yet, they were walking home as a family of three.

* * *

**Author's Note: Thank you for reading and I hope you all enjoyed! I don't know if this was as good as some of my other pieces of writing, but I thought it was cute and so I uploaded it, haha! Please review if you have the time (I really, REALLY love reviews!)**


End file.
